About six weeks ago, a friend was in Kuwait working on Blackhawks, where he said he noticed about 10 Apaches painted gray-on-gray, like Marine and Navy helos. Has anyone else heard of this, or have pictures? I think it would be an attractive scheme on an Apache, something to break up that drab Army green for a change! (Insert inter-service rivalry here…)
Semper Fi
Brian
Brian,
Check out the thread on this forum called “Apache Paint”. There are a bunch of photos and some links too. I’m building a 1/32nd Gray Apache for the Attack Helo Group Build. They’re from the 1st Battalion, 151st Aviation, SC National Guard. I’ve actually spoken with one of their pilots via email and he’s told me that they went from their original callsign “Marauder” to “Ghostrider” when they transitioned to the gray scheme.
Pics here;
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=32490
More here;
http://www.armorama.com/modules/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=30
Cheers,
Thanks for the info on the pics… being a SC native, that would make a very interesting project for me!
Semper Fi
Brian
Brian,
Check out my sig. That’s the SCARNG bird profiled in my Apache book.
Jon
Hoped you would have some in your new book, can’t wait to get it to(Have you Cobra book and loved it)
John,
Its not much, but I was able to speak to one of their pilots via email and did get some info. He flew Cobras in Vietnam too, and told me a bit about the similarity of operations.
Right now, I’m finishing Chapters 6&7. After that, the only thing I have left is Chapter 4.
Should be finished and off to Osprey within two days or so.
Glad you liked the Cobras book. I had a blast writing it and met some of the best people ever!
looking forward to seeing your book on the shelves! give us a heads-up when it does go on sale!
sorry for saying this again, but… please leave the nightstalkers painted black…[;)]
lol!! Yeah, Nightstalkers should be black. “mid-afternoon-stalkers” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. I just got the street date for the book on Saturday. Should be out May 10th… Which means I’m REALLY late getting it in!
Looking forward to it nonetheless. I take it you’ve got some great artwork profiles in there, judging from the one in your sig. who does the artwork in your books?
This is post #500
Jay,
Jim Laurier does the artwork. He’s fantastic! There are 22 profiles in the book total. I’m kinda sad that there aren’t more interesting paint schemes out there, but they’re a pretty solid representation of what’s out there.
On the issue of the Apache as it is today; has any aftermarket firm stepped up yet and made a rotor fold kit to represent one of the more recent built Apache blocks that feature folding rotors for transport purposes?
Upnorth,
Not as of yet. Only the later Lot 7 and later AH-64Ds have the blade fold system, and even many Lot 7s don’t have it. The first six kits were rushed to the 1-227th attack just before OIF started. Since then, it has become standard fit. Not sure if Boeing is going to refit all earlier Apaches with the kit. It would make sense to, since we’re going to be deploying with them for a LONG time to come!